Caldas, Marcellus M., Simmons, Cynthia, Walker, Robert, Perz, Stephen, Aldrich, Stephen, Pereira, Ritaumaria, Leite, Flavia, and Arima, Eugenio
Subjects
*LAND reform, *LAND settlement, *LAND use
Abstract
The present paper describes the contentious process of settlement formation of a particular type of land reform settlement, which we call "spontaneous" direct action land reform. In addition, the paper place the settlement formation process within a land cover and land use framework by describing the underlying processes that lead to spontaneous settlement formation in terra devoluta in the Brazilian Amazon. The paper concludes with policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Environmental destruction caused by fires threatens to forever change the ecological composition of tropical rainforests. Researchers have addressed the role of drought and logging on fire propagation and the ecological consequences of fires. Nevertheless, little is known about its human dimensions. This lack of information is of concern because it represents a real and important gap in our own understanding about a major global change factor. This paper attempts to partly redress this shortcoming by presenting a pilot study that considers the importance of farming systems and social capital to the mitigation or exacerbation of fire in Amazonia. The paper explores the theoretical connection between social capital and fire contagion, and presents results from a pilot study examining such links. This study combines satellite data analysis and data on community organization derived from household surveys in the municipio of Uruará in the State of Pará, Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]